Aquathermal energy research

Ecological research

HHNK is conducting an ecological study into the effect of TEO on life in surface water in collaboration with Rijnland and Waternet. 

Once the effects are known, they can be taken into account in the future. The knowledge will be used to improve life in surface water using this technique or to limit any possible adverse effects. One of the research locations is in the Broekpolder in the municipality of Heemskerk. Measurements were recently taken here. This research complements 'Warmingup', a national research program on aquathermal energy.

Thermal energy from wastewater

The research focuses on the effects of extracting heat from wastewater. This concerns both the incoming water flow and the outgoing water flow. The first flow is the untreated water from homes and businesses that enters the treatment plant. The second flow is the outgoing treated wastewater that returns to the water system.

With the first water flow, it is important that the water in the treatment plant does not become too cold. Otherwise, the bacteria that purify the wastewater will no longer be able to do their job properly and the water will become less clean. That is why we look at the temperature curve of the wastewater from households to the treatment plant and what the extraction of heat does to the bacteria.

The second stream of research focuses on the effects of discharging colder purified wastewater into surface water.

More information

For more information, please contact our colleagues from the aquatherm team at: aquathermie@hhnk.nl